We’ve spent a lot of time this summer talking about the Miami HEAT and the L.A. Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder as the best teams in the NBA, and it’s true; those teams are far and away the best in the league. No one is going to be surprised if one of those three ends up winning the 2013 NBA Championship.

“I think the term we’ve been using is restructuring,” Williams said during the team’s media day. “I don’t think we’re really rebuilding right now. Obviously we still have guys who can play at a high level. Al [Horford] coming back off of his injury and he’s an All-Star guy. In my opinion, I felt like Josh [Smith] should have been an All-Star last year. You still have guys here who are more than capable.”

When Howard was traded to the Lakers in August, O’Neal analyzed the situation this way: “You have to care to have a reaction. I’ve got businesses to run. I always tell people that in order to step in my shoes, you have big shoes to fill. For him, he’s going to have to at least win three to get people’s respect.”bdgfs

It’s too early to tell how good Waiters will be right away, but here's what we think we know: He’s a streaky shooter from the perimeter, he can get to the basket practically at will, and as coach Byron Scott said, “he can go over the top” of defenders once there. Overall, he's looking pretty good.765656hd

Again, it’s early, but that is the way it’s looking. Samuels and Leuer are both expected to back up second-year man Tristan Thompson at power forward. Samuels is more of an inside threat, Leuer is a big man who’s effective from the perimeter. So it’s a safe bet Scott will play each according to matchups.jfh545445

Then again, Scott has already said it’s possible the Cavs keep both Pargo and Sloan, and Harangody just accepted the team’s qualifying offer over the summer. So keep in mind, all the names mentioned are pure speculation. And a few of them will make it.fdsdf234

Parker came under criticism for other reasons. He was known to have a surly attitude and his professionalism came into question, including the time he missed a team plane because he overslept. Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Parker never saw eye to eye, either.

The Timberwolves have a long way to go, but they’re much further along now than they were two years ago. The tides are turning in the Twin Cities, which is exactly why Kirilenko chose to resume his career here.